2022 -Top 10 instead of Top 10

[Yngve J. Chapleen]

Why no "proper" Top 10 (albums) for the year 2022?

There are many reasons I might or might not touch basis with further down the line, but the one I want to emphasize is that after doing them for so long they feel... what should I call it... soo outdated. The new version is right here, right now!

10. 1+1=3
Those who followed my previous Top 10s know I don't miss the opportunity to provide the logic behind the madness, and how do I arrive at them?... Numbers. Numbers my friends. Always support your views with numbers. Numbers never lie. Back home, our knowledge in school was graded by numbers. From 1 (fail) to 5 (excellent). Then our average grade was derived from dividing the total sum of our grades by the individual number of our tests. This meant fractions. Fractions needed rules to remain unbiased. For example, any average point between 4.50 and 5.00 was still 5 (excellent). Between 3.50 and 4.49, was a 4 (great) achievement, and so on... Last year of my education I compiled an average of 3.98 in Math, which should have been equal to a 4 (great) mark, however, because I told my Math teacher that 1 + 1 = 3, he figured, I won't mind if my grade dropped to 3, just to illustrate the accuracy of my thinking. Did I mind? You tell me.
IN YOUR FACE TEACH!!!

9. Completion of the Great Wall Of CDs
Much like its Asian inspiration, my "later" pile has finally met the end. Some of the CDs were sitting ignored on this pile for decades. So, what happened to them after they were put through a listening session? Well, the original intent was to separate and add them to either the Island Collection or the Sale pile. While that was the fate for some of those CDs, the sheer amount of them couldn't be accommodated in such a fashion. Those that were not good enough to take to the Island with me but also not bad enough to be sold off remained part of this great wall forever to remind me of the hard excersise I went through as a lesson not to repeat the same mistake.

8. Selling The Goods
My CDs are hand-picked, and besides selling a few just before I crossed the pond, and a single Garage Sale that pre-dated a huge move, I did not expose my collection to adoption before. It took me a long time to do so too, and a few of them changed hands right here. Still grateful to those who took advantage of this opportunity. You gentlemen ROCK and should be a trailblazing example for all the rest to follow. Just sayin'. The money I "made" will be well spent on a decent scanner to further advance these exposures. Look out Amazon, here I come.

7. There Is No Island Like The One Where You Are The Sole DJ
I usually listen to a CD once. Some might argue Undivided Attention is the key to Active Listening. I don't know, but for me, it's a full experience, where I sit down, and devoid of any distraction completely immerse myself in whatever comes out of my speakers. Then I decide whether the CD will go to my Sale, Great Wall, or the Island pile. If it is the Island pile, then I rip the songs I like, while the CD itself gets a sleeve and it's put away to preserve the condition. This year I decided to give these CDs another spin, just to see if I missed something. It is an ongoing process, but man! what. a. pleasure it's been. That being said, sometimes I wish I'm on a Desert Island where I'm the only one who enjoys this greatness. Oh well, I just have to start charging my neighbors.

6. Sorting Albums By The Year Of First Released

If you follow my post on What Classic Rock Are You Listening To? you might have noticed that with the Island Collection I've been through all the different shapes and forms music is packaged in nowadays, and yonder. All, except for the CDs housed in "regular" Jewel Cases, because they are sorted by the year they were first released. Why? Back in Yugoslavia, I watched a documentary about an LP collector. When they asked him in what order was his collection sorted, he replied: in chronological. Cool. I'll do the same. BIG MISTAKE, but... I wouldn't have it any other way.

5. #EATTHERICH
Midway through commercial.

4. Less Crapy Music Than Ever?

OK. Maybe not, but don't believe those who say 2022 was bad when it comes to new releases. The only thing we can establish with certainty is that there were fewer "crapy" new releases than usual. The devotees of crapy music will want you to believe there were only a few "good" releases when in fact, the opposite is true. How to recognize the lovers of crapy music? They say things like: "One man's garbage is another man's treasure."



3. More Great New Releases Than Ever Past 2K
I would be a hypocrite if I didn't put my money where my mouth is. Enough said. A picture is worth more than a thousand words. Then imagine the price of a well-placed music video.

2. Gretchen Menn – Abandon All Hope (2016)
2016 release on a 2022 list? Why not? It's my list, I'll put there whatever I want. If some people can have a 40-Year Anniversary Re-issues on their list, why couldn't I put there a 6-year-old CD from a great musician who sent it to me absolutely free, with no hidden agenda or expectation? 

1. Andi The Wicked – Sexually Transmitted Mojo (2022)
What's so special about this album? EVERYTHING. Heard it first on Spotify and went straight to Andi's FB to order it from him directly. Not only he did NOT charge me for the CD but he covered the shipping as well. That's not all. He sent the CD to someone in the USA who was later supposed to mail it to me, which never happened, so he sent another copy this time straight to my address, and even included his first EP-CD and ALL THAT for free. Now, don't think the "free" had to do anything with this album being my Number 1. Oh, no. It is a perfect album from top to bottom, a 10/10.